For the fourth consecutive year, Davidoff Cigars will be hosting the Golden Band Award Show . The event will be held July 19th at the Davidoff’s annual retailer event being held at the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans. The awards program is meant to honor and the company’s best Appointed Merchants that according to Davidoff “truly embody the Davidoff Standard of Excellence”. Today, Davidoff announced the 2015 Golden Band Award nominees .
A new category for “Best New Appointed Merchant” has been added. This category honors the newest Davidoff Appointed Merchants based on 12 months of sales and implementation of brand programs.
The only multiple nominees for 2015 are Club Humidor in San Antonio, Texas and Tobacconist of Greenwich in East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
“The Davidoff Golden Band Awards epitomise the success of the brand which has been based on decades of close and longstanding partnerships with trusted merchants. Davidoff has a long history of cooperation with its family of retailers to help them expand their businesses, and to discuss best practices. They successfully contribute towards the increased growth of the Davidoff brand,” commented Jim Young, President of Davidoff North America in a press release.
.“The Golden Band Awards provides us the opportunity to say thank you to our Davidoff Appointed Merchants not only for their partnership, but also their support, enthusiasm and commitment to high standards,” added Richard Krutick, Director of Marketing for Davidoff USA.
Here is a list of the nominees for 2015 followed by the award recipients over the past three years:
Best New Appointed Merchant
This is a new category.
Churchill’s Fine Cigars (Atlanta, GA)
Cigar Realm (Ashland, VA)
Harbor Cigars (Destin, FL)
Havana Phil’s Cigar Company (Greensboro, NC)
Tobacco Locker (Port Charlotte, FL)
Best Merchandising
This honors the Appointed Merchant who best meets the Davidoff Brand merchandising expectations. None of these nominees have won in this category below.
Club Humidor (San Antonio, TX)
Franklin Cigar (Franklin, TN)
Queensbury Cigar and Pipe (Queensbury, NY)
Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood (Ridgewood, NJ)
Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
Best Davidoff Performance (Single Location)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with a single location that has the highest level of Davidoff brand purchases. The Tobacconist of Greenwich has won this award every year since its inception. This year there will be a new winner.
Blend Cigar Bar (Indianapolis, IN)
Cigar Box Enterprises (Aventura, FL)
Georgetown Tobacco and Pipe Store (Washington, DC)
Maxamar Cigars (Orange, CA)
Regency Cigar Emporium (East Greenwich, RI)
Best Davidoff Performance (Multiple Locations)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with two or more locations that has the highest level of Davidoff brand purchases. Corona Cigar Company won the award last year.
Club Humidor (San Antonio, TX)
Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
Emersons of Norfolk (Norfolk, VA)
Lone Wolf Cigar Company (Los Angeles, CA)
Smoke Inn (Palm Beach, FL)
Davidoff Growth Award (Single Location)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with a single location that has the largest percentage and dollar increase of Davidoff brand sales. Cigarz on the Avenue won this award last year.
Cigar King (Scottsdale, AZ)
Cigarz on the Avenue (Winter Park, FL)
Florez Tobacconist (Summit, NJ)
Iwan Ries & Company (Chicago, IL)
Tinder Box (Waldorf, MD)
Davidoff Growth Award (Multiple Locations)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with a two or more location that has the largest percentage and dollar increase of Davidoff brand sales. There will be a first time award winner for this category.
Casa de Montecristo (Countryside, IL)
Churhills Cigar Shop (Birmingham, MI)
Diebel’s Sportsmen Gallery (Kansas City, MO)
Tedfords Pipe and Cigar (Mill Valley, CA)
The Cigar Inn (New York, NY)
Appointed Merchant of the Year
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with the largest percentage and dollar increase of the complete Davidoff of Geneva Distribution portfolio. These are five new nominees for 2015.
Regency Cigar Emporium (East Greenwich, RI)
Serious Cigars (Houston, TX)
Smoking Lamp (Charleston, SC)
Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
Up Down Tobacco Shop (Chicago, IL)
Industry Service Award
Bestowed upon an individual from our Appointed Merchants who has done the most to sustain the premium cigar industry and to advance the industry’s agenda in legislation, regulation and the community. The recipient will be announced the evening of the Golden Band Awards.
Zino Davidoff Legacy Award
This is awarded to an individual in our industry, from amongst out Appointed Merchants, who has stood out over the yers as a true champion of what premuim cigars and premium cigar retailing is all about. The winner will be announced the night of the event.
For reference, here were the previous winners. These winners were given the opportunity to carry the ultra-limited Davidoff Golden Band cigar.
Best Merchandising
2012 Island Smoke Shop (Key Largo, FL)
2013 Prime Cigar & Wine Bar (Boca Raton, FL)
2014 Cup O’ Joes (Queensbury, NY)
Best Davidoff Performance (Single Location)
2012 The Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
2013 The Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
2014 The Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
Best Davidoff Performance (Multiple Locations)
2012 Humidor Of Westmont (Westmont, IL)
2013 Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsdale, AZ)
2014 Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
Davidoff Growth Award (Single Location)
2012 Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsdale, AZ)
2013 Angry Moon Cigars (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
2014 Cigarz on the Avenue (Winter Park, FL)
Davidoff Growth Award (Multiple Locations)
2012 Cigars by Chivas (Pasadena, CA)
2013 Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
2014 Humidor of Westmont (Westmont, IL)
Industry Service Award
2012:
John Andersson, W. Curtis Draper (Washington, DC)
Craig Cass, Tinder Box of Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)
Jeff Borysiewicz, Corona Cigar (Orlando, FL)
Christian Hutson, Just for Him Cigars (Springfield, MO)
2013:
Finnie Helmuth, The Humidour Cigar Shoppe (Cockeysville, MD)
Curt Diebel, Diebel’s Sportsmens Gallery (Kansas City, MO)
Gary Pech, Old Virginia Tobacco (Woodbridge, VA)
2014:
David Garafolo, Two Guys Smoke Shop (New Hampshire)
Gary Kolesaire, Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood (Ridgewood, NJ)
Appointed Merchant of the Year
2012 Tinder Box Waldorf (Waldorf, MD)
2013 Maxamar Cigar (Orange, CA)
Zino Davidoff Legacy Award
2012 Diana Silvius, UpDown Cigars (Chicago, IL)
2013 David Berkebile, Georgetown Tobacco
2014 Curt Diebel, Diebel’s Sportsmens Gallery (Kansas City, MO)
